Russian forces have captured Tolstodubovo in the Sumy Region, Shabelnoye in the Kharkov Region and Yegorovka in the Zaporozhye Region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The first two settlements were taken by units of the Northern Group of Forces, while troops from the Eastern Group seized Yegorovka.

Tolstodubovo is located in the Bachevsk rural council of the Glukhov district in the Sumy Region. Before the fighting began, the village had a population of about 130. It lies close to the border with the Sevsk district of the Bryansk Region, along the E391/M02 highway leading west toward Chernigov and Kiev. Bachevsk, which the Russian Defense Ministry said was liberated on July 11, is about one kilometer to the southeast. Tolstodubovo was taken by assault troops from the 349th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motor Rifle Division.

The Northern Group is continuing to expand its security zone along the western borders of the Bryansk and Kursk regions. The area now includes 12 settlements: Tolstodubovo, Malaya Slobodka, Bachevsk, Sopych, Potapovka, Bobylevka, Chervonaya Zarya, Sidorovka, Belaya Bereza, Komarovka, Kharkovka and Ulanovo.

War correspondent Alexander Kots estimated that Russian troops have secured a 27-30-kilometer stretch along the border. He named Volnaya Sloboda, Sukhodol, Chervony Pakhar and Korenek among the next objectives for Russian forces in the area.

Shabelnoye is located in the Volchansk district of the Kharkov Region near the border with the Shebekino district of the Belgorod Region. Around 10 people lived there before the fighting began. The village is about one kilometer east of Peschanoye, which the Russian Defense Ministry reported as liberated on March 24. Shabelnoye was taken by troops of the 126th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 71st Motor Rifle Division of the 14th Army Corps.

According to Kots, Russian forces in this sector are completing the clearance of territory north of the «Reznikov pocket." He said taking Nesternoye, about one kilometer south of Peschanoye, would complete control of the border in this area. After that, Varvarovka and Nikolayevka on the outer line of the northern side of the pocket could become the next objectives.

Yegorovka is a village in the Novoselovskoye rural council of the Orekhov district in the Zaporozhye Region. Its pre-conflict population was about 226. The settlement stands on the right bank of the Zherebets River, roughly half a kilometer east of Ukrainian-controlled Omelnik and about two kilometers west of Novoselovka. The Russian Defense Ministry had previously reported the liberation of Novoselovka. Yegorovka was taken by units of the 38th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of the 35th Army.

Kots expects Omelnik to become the next major objective in this sector. He described it as an important Ukrainian strongpoint that has been well prepared for defense. In his assessment, taking the settlement would allow Russian troops to approach Orekhov from the north.

Kots described Orekhov as the main Ukrainian fortified area in the Zaporozhye Region and said control of the city would open the route toward Zaporozhye.